Rational and Irrational Discourses in the Age of Digitalization

Dear Colleagues,

The topic selected here originally emerges from the field of political rhetoric, namely with respect to a survey of the ongoing competition between the rational discourse of reflexion on the one hand, and the irrational discourse of emotion on the other. Not only since the recent results of political processes, ranging from the “Brexit” through to the US elections, but also comprising the development in Russia and Turkey or other European countries, as well as in Germany, with respect to the upcoming of “populistic” movements and parties, becomes this aspect apparent. Hence, in this ongoing project, the structure and evolution of the public discourse is in the centre of attention. Obviously, the media play a decisive role here—the digitalized media in the first place. On the other hand, manifold references to the theory of social systems can be found while discussing this topic. With a view to established standard methods of discourse analysis the idea is to eventually develop a hermeneutic approach that is able to serve as a future strategic instrument within the inventory of a conflict praxis suitable to attenuate and soften impending aggression. In principle, one can say that the creation of zones of stable equilibrium defining a mutual state of compromise within the space of social action is the most promising starting point for such an enterprise.

References:

Rainer E. Zimmermann: New Ethics Proved in Geometrical Order. Spinozist Reflexions on Evolutionary Systems. Emergent Publications, Litchfield Park (Az.), 2010.

Rainer E. Zimmermann: Metaphysics of Emergence. Part 1: On the Foundations of Systems. xenomoi, Berlin, 2015.

Rainer E. Zimmermann: On the Onto-Epistemic Foundations of Matter and Information. [ch. 6] in: M. Burgin, W. Hofkirchner (eds.), Information Studies and the Quest for Transdisciplinarity. World Scientific, Singapore etc., 2017, 191-214.

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• Public Discourse
• Political Rhetoric
• Language
• Social Space
• Social System